Diamond Clarity
Clarity is one of the Four Cs, the four most important factors that determine the price of a diamond.In theory a diamond would have total clarity. However in reality naturally formed diamonds are almost never completely clear. There are almost always some flaws: internal flaws such as tiny cracks and foreign particles are known as inclusions, surface problems such as scratches are known as blemishes.
The less of these flaws present in a particular diamond, the higher the stone is rated for clarity. All other things being equal a higher clarity stone is likely to cost more than a similar stone of lower clarity.
Clarity Chart
Different countries have different standards and scales for raing diamond clarity. The Gemstone Institute of America (GIA) uses the following gradings:
| Category | Grades |
| Flawless | FL |
| Internally Flawless | IF |
| Very Very Slightly Included | VVS1,VVS2 |
| Very Slightly Included | VS1,VS2 |
| Slightly Included | S1,S2 |
| Included | I1, I2, I3 |
Where a diamond is of VS1/VS2 grade or better then any flaws are unlikely to be visible to the naked eye. Generally speaking the flaws in these stones only show up under magnification of 10x or greater. Once you get to the I grades, you may well find that the flaws will be noticable.
Inclusions can be repaired, hidden or compensated for by a process of clarity enhancement. However some people prefer to buy a diamond in its natural state, inclusions and all. The flaws in a diamond can be considered a sort of "fingerprint" which can also help to identify a particular stone.